Topher

Topher is a nerd, scientist, bioengineer, photographer, costumer, dog trainer, beer brewer, and a lot of other nouns. He has too many degrees and too many hobbies because it’s all fun and interesting, and … squirrel!

I’ve struggled a lot with the fallout of last November. That evening, my oldest stepdaughter texted me a simple, “dad, is the world ending?” All three kids are extremely aware of what Trump’s victory represents, and are deeply disturbed. They live in Canada, and yet they’re worried about what this …

There are a lot of things wrong with our government. There are plenty of aspects to healthcare regulation that need to be fixed. But let’s at least focus on the right things. Late last month, the Green Party’s presidential nominee, Dr. Jill Stein, was quoted as saying, “In most countries, …

This past weekend some of our members attended CONvergence in Minneapolis, where we held a panel entitled, “It Takes a Village Moving at 80% the Speed of Light.” Our discussion topic was nominally focused on how parenting would change on a generational colony ship, but we strayed across the spectrum …

(Consider this my minor contribution to Lou’s excellent post on The Bathroom Wars.) I’m an engineer. In general, that means I tend to break a big problem into its components, analyze each one, work out contingencies, then work back up the chain to resolve the bigger issue. So let’s consider …

I’ve seen several friends posting memes such as this on Facebook recently. The idea seems to be that university students should stop seeking scholarships, debt relief, or debt forgiveness and instead consider joining the Armed Forces in exchange for advanced education. On the surface, the idea might seem interesting. Trade …

Found on the interwebs: Are you a grouch? Dear Neighbor, Thank you for your submission. Unfortunately our editorial review staff found numerous shortcomings in your study, and therefore we are unable to accept it for publication at this time. Please consider the following points in any resubmission: Your work outlines an …

Recently one of our bloggers asked for input on a new article, which promoted a link between acetaminophen (Tylenol) use and autism. In that post, Dr. Margulis argues that prenatal or juvenile use of acetaminophen may be linked to autism spectrum disorder, pointing to various scientific sources. Unfortunately, she greatly …

Hey everyone. Just got back from Skepchicon in Minneapolis and am catching up on my email. Looks like the 21st Century Cures Act got a huge bump last week, with 189 supporters, almost perfectly split between Democrat and Republican representatives. While funding may still be an issue, there’s a real …

Episode 5: The Light At the End of the Tunnel Here are links to Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4. Almost there! Almost there! Pediatric medicine Finally we arrive at my original intended subject, pediatric medical products. It may seem trite and obvious, but children aren’t little adults. Growing bodies …

Episode 4: The One With the Bummer Ending [Ok, so I couldn’t get the articles to properly align, so we get the dark ending an episode early!] Here are links to Parts 1, 2, and 3. Now on with the show! Clinical Testing As mentioned earlier, novel drugs and …